It's not German; it's German's PA030006

Pocatello, Idaho, Continental Bistro

This cheesecake, served at Continental Bistro, was advertised as "German Chocolate Cheesecake," after a popular American cake. Well, that popular American cake's called "German's Sweet Chocolate Cake," and I think that the reason for its name is that its recipe has long been printed on packages of "German's Brand Sweet Chocolate Bar." Interestingly enough, many people mistakenly call the cake, "German Chocolate Cake," having dropped the "'s" as well as the "Sweet."

Thus, when the waiter or waitress brought me this cake, I told him/her, "It's not German; it's German's!"

By the way, the "Sweet" in the cake's name is a modifier for the chocolate, not for the cake. So perhaps a more correct way to spell the cake's name would be, "German's-Sweet-Chocolate Cake!" Now if you were to bake something like that cake but were to use, say, Ghirardelli's semi-sweet chocolate, then your cake could be called, "Ghirardelli-Semi-Sweet-Chocolate Cake in the style of German's-Sweet-Chocolate Cake!!!"

News - September, 2007. I was thanked by a Continental Bistro person for pointing out the mistake. Continental Bistro's staff members have now been trained to say "German's!"

Sad News - May, 2008. Earlier this month, The Continental Bistro closed its doors, presumably forever. Many businesses here have been hit by the current slump in the economy! No more waiters and waitresses who would show a big dessert tray to their customers, including "It's not German; it's German's!."

My fiance feels you have analyzed this whole chocolate cake thing a little bit to far. And I quoted directly as she is sitting right here. We think you are uniquely eccentric and much like your food and squirrel pictures.